18 august 2012
I have to remember the days like this in the future when the going gets rough. When I am stressed out because nothing seems to work, or the rollercoaster is on the downward curve. I have to remember how wonderful and simple it was today. I was awoken at 7am (can't believe I slept that late) by children knocking on my door. I had planned to get up early and run, but my sleep cycle is off. Sometimes, I wake up at 2 or 3 am to go pee, and then I can't fall back asleep, or when I do, a new rem cycle begins and I find myself waking up later (or in this case, being woken up later). I answered my door and jemsina and nenne told me that vimsa wanted me to come over to do my hair. I bought two packets of mesh yesterday in ngaoundere and am ready for the pain - and the satisfaction after of not needing to do anything with my hair for several weeks. This is the fourth time I've gotten my hair braided. The third was the most painful - and that was in December - see how long it's been since the last time; that is how scared of the pain I've been. In December, three women attacked my head at the same time. For anyone who has never had the pleasure of getting mesh put into their hair, the only thing I can compare it to would be what they did to that guy in one flew over the cuckoo's nest where they attached his head to some wires and turned on the kichen switch. The pain is excruciating when there is just one hairdresser - but three - I nearly fainted.
Anywho, so I went over tthis morning to get my hair braided, but Vimsa was washing clothes and then braiding Jemsina's hair quickly and working around the house. So I hung out, came back to the house to get my music, book and hairbrush, and hung out some more. The process started at 10:15am. She started in the back, which is fine, it's the least painful. I kinda wished she'd started up front, in order to get the most painful part done first, but oh well she's the hairbraider not I. 12:15pm by my order called for a pause. Jemsina had turned couscous and we ate that with sauce and I stood up and stretched my legs. Sitting on a tiny wooden bench for two hours seems like a piece of cake...until you are doing it. Then we continued to 2ish pm. This is where I called the second pause. At this point, Vimsa was moving up my head. I have found that the most sensitive part is the dead center - oh and the front near the temples. Around this time, though, she was right in the back, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I gripped a stool in front of me, my skirt, my arm and the small pieces of mesh I was preparing to get braided into my hair. I told Vimsa I needed some "comprimes", and I came to my house took two tylenol. I started the music around 3, as a celebration to hair almost being finished and out of complete boredom. I had tried reading a little bit, but to no avail due to my mesh-preparing job and the pain that made it difficult to focus my eyes. Vimsa finished my hair around 4:15pm. 6 hours of pain that will pay off for....two or three weeks depending on how much my scalp starts itching with things growing in it.
At one point during the day, Vimsa said "La journee aujourd'hui est tres joyleux". Maybe I was so in pain to even think about the day being so wonderful. For Cameroonians, the most important things are just being with other people and working hard. For her, this was the best day. She was active and working all day - but didn't leave the house once. There were children - plus my puppy - around all day, playing, laughing and making a disorder out of everything. People were constantly coming in and out of the house to visit or say hello to the second wife who was here visiting for Ramaddan. Why leave the house if everyone will come to see you? It was a beautiful day though. I don't remember the last time I was just at someone's house all day long - to do just that. Usually, I am going all over the place or staying at my house. It was wonderful to see all the activities that make up each day. Sitting, chatting, greeting friends and family, collecting fire wood, making couscous, making sauce, preparing the legumes, sweeping the yard, washing the kids, getting pooped and peed on by the kids, breastfeeding, washing the mats in the house, washing the clothes and children, drying the peanuts. Not one minute is spent idle or just sitting. Hands are always busy shelling peanuts, or scolding a child, or cutting up vegetables. No wonder children have a hard time sitting through class in elementary school, or my mini french lesson I have started with them. When they are not constantly in motion, they think something is wrong.
After my hair was finished, I got my life around (washed face again, brushed teeth, changed out of my now-filthy clothes) and did a tour in town. I find that I don't really NEED to buy anything at the store, but it is nice to say hello to everyone. I picked up my phone and left three birthday voicemails for three ladies in my life. Two of the birthdays are belated but my mother's special day is today.
On the way home, I stopped by to visit a family. I should visit them more. Their French is excellent and they are so kind. They gave me a bit of bru-ee and we chatted about my voyage down to Yaounde and Kribi. I told them that I am peaceing out November 30 and they said the same thing I've been thinking these past few weeks: Two years has gone by already? How is that possible? And how have I not visited that family more? What have I been doing that has been more significant or taught me more than spending time with this wonderful and kind family? Will I have regrets? I wanted to go learn fulfulde in a village in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to learn Dii as well. I shouldn't use the past tense yet because it is not yet so, but I know that, just like these years have already flown by, these next three months will be a blink.
Such a happy day. Must remember it forever. Just living and breathing and getting hair braided.
I have to remember the days like this in the future when the going gets rough. When I am stressed out because nothing seems to work, or the rollercoaster is on the downward curve. I have to remember how wonderful and simple it was today. I was awoken at 7am (can't believe I slept that late) by children knocking on my door. I had planned to get up early and run, but my sleep cycle is off. Sometimes, I wake up at 2 or 3 am to go pee, and then I can't fall back asleep, or when I do, a new rem cycle begins and I find myself waking up later (or in this case, being woken up later). I answered my door and jemsina and nenne told me that vimsa wanted me to come over to do my hair. I bought two packets of mesh yesterday in ngaoundere and am ready for the pain - and the satisfaction after of not needing to do anything with my hair for several weeks. This is the fourth time I've gotten my hair braided. The third was the most painful - and that was in December - see how long it's been since the last time; that is how scared of the pain I've been. In December, three women attacked my head at the same time. For anyone who has never had the pleasure of getting mesh put into their hair, the only thing I can compare it to would be what they did to that guy in one flew over the cuckoo's nest where they attached his head to some wires and turned on the kichen switch. The pain is excruciating when there is just one hairdresser - but three - I nearly fainted.
Anywho, so I went over tthis morning to get my hair braided, but Vimsa was washing clothes and then braiding Jemsina's hair quickly and working around the house. So I hung out, came back to the house to get my music, book and hairbrush, and hung out some more. The process started at 10:15am. She started in the back, which is fine, it's the least painful. I kinda wished she'd started up front, in order to get the most painful part done first, but oh well she's the hairbraider not I. 12:15pm by my order called for a pause. Jemsina had turned couscous and we ate that with sauce and I stood up and stretched my legs. Sitting on a tiny wooden bench for two hours seems like a piece of cake...until you are doing it. Then we continued to 2ish pm. This is where I called the second pause. At this point, Vimsa was moving up my head. I have found that the most sensitive part is the dead center - oh and the front near the temples. Around this time, though, she was right in the back, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I gripped a stool in front of me, my skirt, my arm and the small pieces of mesh I was preparing to get braided into my hair. I told Vimsa I needed some "comprimes", and I came to my house took two tylenol. I started the music around 3, as a celebration to hair almost being finished and out of complete boredom. I had tried reading a little bit, but to no avail due to my mesh-preparing job and the pain that made it difficult to focus my eyes. Vimsa finished my hair around 4:15pm. 6 hours of pain that will pay off for....two or three weeks depending on how much my scalp starts itching with things growing in it.
At one point during the day, Vimsa said "La journee aujourd'hui est tres joyleux". Maybe I was so in pain to even think about the day being so wonderful. For Cameroonians, the most important things are just being with other people and working hard. For her, this was the best day. She was active and working all day - but didn't leave the house once. There were children - plus my puppy - around all day, playing, laughing and making a disorder out of everything. People were constantly coming in and out of the house to visit or say hello to the second wife who was here visiting for Ramaddan. Why leave the house if everyone will come to see you? It was a beautiful day though. I don't remember the last time I was just at someone's house all day long - to do just that. Usually, I am going all over the place or staying at my house. It was wonderful to see all the activities that make up each day. Sitting, chatting, greeting friends and family, collecting fire wood, making couscous, making sauce, preparing the legumes, sweeping the yard, washing the kids, getting pooped and peed on by the kids, breastfeeding, washing the mats in the house, washing the clothes and children, drying the peanuts. Not one minute is spent idle or just sitting. Hands are always busy shelling peanuts, or scolding a child, or cutting up vegetables. No wonder children have a hard time sitting through class in elementary school, or my mini french lesson I have started with them. When they are not constantly in motion, they think something is wrong.
After my hair was finished, I got my life around (washed face again, brushed teeth, changed out of my now-filthy clothes) and did a tour in town. I find that I don't really NEED to buy anything at the store, but it is nice to say hello to everyone. I picked up my phone and left three birthday voicemails for three ladies in my life. Two of the birthdays are belated but my mother's special day is today.
On the way home, I stopped by to visit a family. I should visit them more. Their French is excellent and they are so kind. They gave me a bit of bru-ee and we chatted about my voyage down to Yaounde and Kribi. I told them that I am peaceing out November 30 and they said the same thing I've been thinking these past few weeks: Two years has gone by already? How is that possible? And how have I not visited that family more? What have I been doing that has been more significant or taught me more than spending time with this wonderful and kind family? Will I have regrets? I wanted to go learn fulfulde in a village in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to learn Dii as well. I shouldn't use the past tense yet because it is not yet so, but I know that, just like these years have already flown by, these next three months will be a blink.
Such a happy day. Must remember it forever. Just living and breathing and getting hair braided.
The final product :)
